Produced in...

Some foods, such as beef and certain fruit and vegetables, must have labels saying what country they have come from.

But most foods (for example processed meat such as bacon, ham, pies, sausages and ready meals) only have to include country of origin information if not giving it would be misleading.

The Agency is working with other European countries to make rules on country of origin labelling clearer and easier to understand, so that the food labels are not misleading.

You might also see health marks on some products.

These are usually a code number and some letters, for example 'UK' and 'EEC', inside an oval mark.

Health marks are used mainly on meat and dairy products. They show that the food has been produced to the current standards of hygienic food production in licensed premises and allow food to be traced back to those premises. Health marks don't show which country the food or its ingredients came from.